


It's In The Blood

by NicholasFlamelFan



Series: Of Ideas and Collections (The Alchemy Lab) [25]
Category: Teen Wolf (TV), iZombie (TV)
Genre: Alpha Derek Hale, Awesome Melissa McCall, Awesome Sheriff Stilinski, Bad Friend Scott McCall (Teen Wolf), Derek Hale is Bad at Feelings, Good Parent Sheriff Stilinski, Good Peter Hale, M/M, No Malia Tate, Peter Hale is a Good Father, Post-Hale Fire (Teen Wolf), Protective Derek, Protective Peter Hale, Spark Stiles Stilinski, Zombies, werwolves
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-12-31
Updated: 2020-12-23
Packaged: 2021-02-27 15:07:29
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 3,786
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22049110
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NicholasFlamelFan/pseuds/NicholasFlamelFan
Summary: It all started with the Hale Fire and went down the drain from there. What if Cora wasn't the only one who survived without Derek knowing? What if Peter had a nine-year-old son who ran with Cora? Lucas Hale is more than meets the eye. What happened to change him and how will Peter react to finding out what happened to his son?
Relationships: Blaine DeBeers & Original Male Character(s), Derek Hale & Original Hale Character(s), Liv Moore & Original Male Character(s), Peter Hale & Original Hale Character(s), Stiles Stilinski/Original Male Character(s)
Series: Of Ideas and Collections (The Alchemy Lab) [25]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1399345
Comments: 12
Kudos: 53





	1. The Fire

Peter coughed as the smoke invaded his lungs, dragging the small, almost limp body of his son out of the burning house "Listen to me," he rasped, waiting until blue eyes met his own "Run. You know where to go. Run!"

Lucas squinted up at his father "What?"

"Run!" Peter growled, his eyes flashing as he dropped the nine-year-old boy to the ground. The screams of his pack were echoing in his ears and he knew that he had to at least try to do something. When he had found Lucas, the boy had been trying to break the circle of Mountain Ash while almost being burned to a crisp. Peter couldn't smell whether he was hurt, the smoke and desperation and fear was burning his senses.

Lucas scrambled backwards and watched as his father ran back into the house to try and get the rest of the pack out. He looked at the house with wide eyes before turning tail and running into the woods. He stumbled a few times over roots and stones that were lying around but it didn't take him long to reach the house they were told to go to in case anything happened.

"Lucas," a voice breathed, running towards him "The others. What happened? I only heard the screams and… and the bonds. Where are they?"

"Cora," he panted, stumbling into her arms "They… I…"

Cora carefully helped her cousin into the house. She was worried. Not just for her family but for the boy in her arms. Lucas had always been the one she had been closest to and to see him like that. He was completely out of it, gasping for air. About halfway to the house, he let out a pained whimper as his legs gave out on him "Luc," Cora cried out "What's wrong?"

"Hurts," Lucas mumbled, his hand going to his side.

"Let me see," Cora ordered softly, pulling at Lucas' shirt. She let out a shocked gasp at the sight that was revealed "Oh, my God." There, on her baby cousin's side was a bad burn that stretched across half his torso and almost down to his pants. Some of the skin was black as the night, while the rest started blistering a deep, angry red.

Now she knew why she heard screams and the smoke. It all clicked into place. A fire. They had… Cora let out an angry growl, cursing that they couldn't be left alone for once. She debated on whether to get Lucas to a hospital but chose against it when he fell limp. There was still a chance that someone was alive and she didn't want to risk missing them to get Lucas medical attention. She might be worried for him but while he was unconscious, at least he couldn't feel the pain. She could still feel a few bonds, several having snapped within moments, others faded slowly. Cora would just have to wait and hope that someone would come for them. She was in over her head and there was no way she would be able to take care of Lucas on her own.


	2. The Aftermath

Cora had to admit that she was worried when by the next morning no one had come to them. They couldn’t all be dead. She refused to believe that. The pack bonds told her that there had to be someone left. Lucas had made it out of the house, so someone else had to have gotten out as well. She couldn’t be alone… Almost alone. Cora remembered the morning before when she had gotten into a fight with her mother and stormed off. The last thing she had said to her was that she hated her and now she wouldn’t see her again. What was she going to do? She couldn’t take care of Lucas… Hell, she was barely two years older than him. The most she had ever done was take care of her younger siblings and her cousins when everyone else was busy but this was something completely different. She didn’t know what to do.

Suddenly, there was a noise outside. She was about to rush out to check who it was when hushed voices reached her ears. Voices that definitely didn’t belong to anyone from the Pack “Are you sure this is where they’re hiding?” a man’s voice hissed quietly.

“If anyone survived, they’d be here. She said so,” another guy responded “Now be quiet. Do you want them to hear us?”

“Lucas,” Cora breathed, hurrying to her unconscious cousin’s side. His breathing had gotten worse over the past few hours and he was a little warm but so far it was nothing that Cora worried about too badly. His heartbeat was still as strong as it had always been “Come on. You have to wake up, Luc.”

Lucas let out a pained groan, his eyes snapping open when a hand pressed over his mouth “Hmpf.”

“Quiet,” Cora whispered, her eyes darting around the room as she was getting more and more nervous. Her wolf was demanding that she do something “There’s someone outside. We have to leave. Can you get up?”

“I don’t…” Lucas whimpered.

His hand reached to touch his side with a grimace before Cora caught it “Don’t. That’ll just make it worse. Come on, get up.”

“Cora… Where is everyone?” he asked, eyes welling up.

Cora swallowed, turning her eyes to the darkened window across from them “I don’t know. Maybe something happened and they weren’t able to come yet.”

Lucas sniffled “Do you really believe that?”

“No,” she mumbled, her hate for those surviving growing “But for both of our sake we should. Here.”

Lucas took a couple of deep breaths against the pain, letting Cora pull him up. He really tried not to make any sound but the pain was unbearable. His whole upper body felt like it was burning like he was trapped in the fire again “Cora… I – I can’t.”

Cora steadied him when he was about to fall over his own feet “Yes, you can. We have to, Luc. Now, hush. I’m trying to listen.” She tilted her head “How did they find out about this house? Only family knows… Do you think maybe… No, it’s impossible.” There was no way anyone told the Hunters. Pack doesn’t betray each other. Especially not her family. No matter how mad they got at each other.

As soon as she determined that everything was clear, the two Hale children hurried out of the safe house and into the forest. Not a moment too late as the whole house went up in flames. Lucas stared at the flames, his mind flashing back to the night before. The screams were echoing in his mind and he couldn’t forget their expressions as they realised that they were trapped in that basement. His father had gone back inside… Did he burn to death with them? He had to be gone, otherwise, he would have come for Lucas. That much the nine-year-old was sure about. His father wouldn’t have just abandoned him. But the way Cora was acting… His chest hurt a little as he thought of the fire and a part of him was glad that he didn’t have to be dealing with the full strength of the bonds breaking. He had only heard about it from Peter when one of their great-grandparents died.

* * *

By the time the sun was at its peak, Cora and Lucas had managed to make their way to San Francisco. Cora had been there before and at least had a little idea of what to do. She had planned on making her way north to Seattle if they even got that far. There was a pack that was very close to their family. Maybe they could stay with them for some time until Lucas had recovered enough for them to move on.

There had been some money in the safe house. Enough for something to eat and the bus tickets to Seattle “How are you, Luc?” Cora whispered, letting her cousin lean against her heavily.

“Tired,” he slurred “Want Dad.”

Cora kissed his temple “I know. I want Uncle Peter too. He would know what to do…”

By the time they drove out of San Francisco, Lucas had fallen into a fitful sleep and Cora’s eyes were dropping. They had curled up together in one row with Cora absentmindedly scenting Lucas and the younger boy curled into her chest. The bus driver had been suspicious to see two small kids travelling together but since they had managed to buy tickets, he believed that they were going to visit family… For now.

Hours later, Cora yawned, rubbing at her eyes. Her stomach was rumbling and the smell of the sandwiches she had bought was making her mouth water. She quickly ate the food and gulped down a little of the water bottle before pulling out another sandwich “Lucas,” she called quietly, not really caring for any of the people around them. They hadn’t even looked at the two kids for more than a second, so she doubted they would do anything. She was still hyper-vigilant of everything around her but tried to focus on her cousin for now “Luc?”

“Mum?” he mumbled, trying to blink his eyes open. Before Cora could even catch a glimpse of the blue she loved so much, Lucas started coughing harshly.

“Lucas!” Cora pleaded, grabbing the water to hold it to his lips “Here.” He tried to take a small sip before spilling it all over himself when he started coughing again.

Lucas sniffed a little “Hurts, Cora.”

“I know, kiddo,” Cora told him, running her hand through Lucas’ hair sweaty hair. He was getting warmer and his breathing was getting harsher by the minute, worrying the girl more than she would ever show. She knew that the burns had to be bothering him but she couldn’t risk bringing him to a hospital yet. With everything that happened and the men at the safe house, they had to move as quickly as they could to get as far away from Beacon Hills as they possibly could. Somewhere no one would know who they were. Where no one would find out that they survived.

* * *

While Lucas kept drifting in and out of consciousness, Cora was staring out of the window. Even if she was dead tired, she couldn’t sleep. Her wolf was demanding to be let out and mourn its loss but she had to get them to safety first.

Her thoughts drifted as she kept staring at the Sacramento River. They were heading north out of Sacramento now. There was still a long way to go and Cora hoped against hope that the time would pass quickly. She didn’t know how long she could stand being on this bus with all the stinky and loud humans. Everything was getting too much and she was in way over her head but she had to be strong. If not for herself, then for Lucas.

It was no secret that most of her family had been sheltered. The most they got to be around humans was at school or the few times they went out into town. While Cora and most of the other kids had friends, they weren’t allowed to spend a lot of time around them. That was what had started Cora’s fight with her mother in the first place.

_Flashback_

_“Come on,” Cora whined, looking up at her mother pleadingly._

_Talia shook her head “I said no, Cora. My decision is final. It’s family night tonight.”_

_“I just wanna go to the movies with my friends,” Cora argued “It’s going to be a few hours.”_

_“No.”_

_Cora glared at her mother, crossing her arms “This is unfair. Derek and Laura aren’t here either. Why do I have to be?”_

_“I’m not going to argue with you about this anymore,” Talia said sternly, barely refraining from flashing her Alpha eyes at her stubborn daughter “You can go some other time.”_

_“But I never get to go out with my friends. Hell, they are barely my friends… Please. I just want to fit in at school.”_

_Peter walked into the kitchen with Lucas trailing along behind him “What’s going on?”_

_“Nothing,” Talia told him firmly “This is over, Cora.”_

_“No,” Cora shouted “I hate you. Why can’t you just…”_

_“Enough,” Talia roared, making both her daughter and Lucas flinch away. She calmed down a little “Enough. Go to your room. We will be talking about this later.”_

_Cora huffed, storming out of the room. She ignored her mother’s words and instead of going to her room, she ran out of the front door and into the woods. She needed to think and the only place she would be undisturbed was at her spot deep in the preserve._

_End Flashback_

Cora’s eyes welled up with tears. She sniffed, hiding her face in Lucas’ hair. He still smelt like fire but his scent screamed pack and soothed her wolf at least a little.

* * *

They were close to Seattle when it happened. Everything happened so fast that Cora barely knew what was happening until she was standing in the waiting room of the hospital with a nurse trying to talk to her. Shock was something she heard as she stared at the doors, the Doctors had vanished through with Lucas in tow.

“Sweetie?” the nurse called out, cause Cora to turn her head in her direction slowly “There you are.” The nurse smiled at her gently “Is there anyone I can call for you?”

Cora shook her head numbly “No,” she rasped “There’s no one.”

“Your parents?” the nurse asked.

“They –” Cora broke off “They are on vacation right now.”

The nurse sighed “Alright. I’m going to need some information from you. Can you tell me your brother’s name?”

“He’s my cousin,” Cora corrected “Lucas. His name is Lucas.”

“Last name?”

Cora didn’t answer. If she gave their last name, the Hunters would be able to find them. She couldn’t risk getting them on their trail. Not after they had finally gotten away.

The nurse let out a sigh and was about to open her mouth when her pager went off. She glanced down and cursed lowly “I’ll be right back and bring you something to drink, alright?”

Cora just nodded and watched her leave. She looked at the doors to the ER again before glancing around nervously. There was no way she would be able to avoid their questions for much longer, so she did the only thing she could think of. She ran.


	3. Street Urchin

“What’s your name?” the nurse tried again, watching the boy on the bed with narrowed eyes. He had stubbornly refused to tell them anything and since the girl who had come in with him had run, they had nothing but his first name “Lucas – It was Lucas, wasn’t it? We can’t help you if you don’t tell us who you are.”

Lucas turned his head away from her, grimacing at the bandages that were tugging on his skin. They had started itching shortly after he woke up and had started stinging badly “No one can help me,” he muttered.

“Sweetie, we need to inform your family. I’m sure they’re worried about you,” the nurse told him gently, sitting down on the end of the bed.

“There’s no one to worry about me,” Lucas said, his voice flat as the screams echoed through his mind. His breathing picked up as he started smelling the fire, feeling its heat licking at his skin.

The nurse reached out for him before pulling back at the last second “I need you to slow your breathing, can you do that?” she asked, keeping an eye on the monitor at the side of the bed. They had kept him monitored just to see whether there would be any late complications from smoke inhalation or the burns “Follow my instructions. Breath in and hold. Good, just like that. You’re doing so well. Now, exhale, two, three. Inhale…”

“Sorry,” Lucas mumbled when he finally felt like he could breathe again.

“Don’t think about it, dear,” the nurse waved off before she sighed, looking down at him “I really do need your last name though. Or a name of a person I could call.”

Lucas shook his head, fearing what she would do if he told her the truth. He didn’t want to be put somewhere else – somewhere where people would just treat him like a sad little orphan whose family was burned to death “There’s no one.”

The nurse watched him for a moment before she nodded “Alright,” she sighed. She hadn’t wanted to involve the authorities when the girl disappeared but since Lucas insisted on being stubborn, he left her no other choice “I’m going to call social services. They will decide what happens to you, dear.”

“Yeah,” he whispered, running his hands over the white blanket. He peaked out from underneath his bangs, waiting for the woman to leave the room. His body still hurt but that didn’t matter. He had to get out of here and find Cora. Maybe she found a place for them to stay or at least somewhere where they could be safe.

* * *

As it turned out, Cora had found a place to stay with the local pack but he wasn’t welcome. Whether it was because he was a human or whether he had magic, he didn’t know. They told him and Cora that it was too dangerous for him to stay because the hunters were still looking for members of the Hale pack who had escaped the fire.

“Are you hungry?” Blaine asked, studying the dirty young boy intently. He had seen him around a couple of times but had never gotten the chance to get close before he disappeared.

Lucas nodded warily. He had been living on the streets for months now and it was only thanks to Cora smuggling him food that he got to eat anything at all. He hated the idea of stealing anything and after he had thrown up the last times he had taken something from the dumpsters, he preferred to wait for his cousin to come to him.

Blaine bit his lip and looked over his shoulder “Wait here. I’ll get you something, alright? I promise that I’ll be right back.” With that, he hurried off.

Lucas watched him go for a moment before he retreated into a dark corner of the alley. He didn’t trust the man not to bring back the cops. After all, who would go out of their way to give a street kid food? No one had made time for that. Not even when he had begged them for some in the beginning. He had never stayed in one place for too long, moving around the city as much as he could while keeping out of the police’s way.

Blaine wasn’t sure whether he was doing the right thing but he understood being hungry. He might not be a good person – at least he wouldn’t describe himself as a good person – but he knew what it felt like being in the boy’s shoes. While he didn’t know his story, he didn’t need to. It was his to share but Blaine at least wanted to give him something. He walked through the store quickly, grabbing a couple of things that were easy on the stomach and a few things that he was sure the boy would like.

“Hey,” Blaine called, looking around the alley. He had been gone for all of fifteen minutes and now the boy seemed to be gone. A part of him cursed himself for leaving at all but then something moved in the shadows and the boy appeared “There you are. I thought you left.”

“You didn’t call the cops?” Lucas asked, his voice raspy from lack of use.

Blaine shook his head “It’s obvious you don’t want that,” he shrugged “I’m not here to hurt you. I just… wanted to do something to help.” He held out the bag, his shoulders slumping in relief when the boy grabbed it before retreating into the shadows. Not for enough for Blaine to not see him though “I’m Blaine, by the way.”

Lucas looked up from the bag “Call me Lucky. Even if the name doesn’t seem to fit anymore,” he mumbled, stuffing a sandwich into his mouth, swallowing before he could chew it right.

“Careful,” Blaine grinned when it looked like the boy was going to choke himself on the food “There’s more in there.”

“Why are you helping me? Most adults won’t.”

Blaine leaned against the wall, not caring if his jacket got dirty “Because I’ve been where you are, kid. Life is shit but if you let it bring you down? Then you lost. I may not be the best person out there or the most reliable but… This is something I can do to help.”

Lucas chewed thoughtfully, having slowed down “But why? You don’t know me.”

“You’re a kid,” Blaine pointed out “Obviously something happened for you to be out here. I don’t know your story but you’re too young to be left alone without any help.”

“My family was murdered,” Lucas spoke up quietly “Everyone but my cousin. I – I was hurt in the attack and ran when the hospital was about to contact child services. I don’t want to give the people who hurt my family the chance to find me. I’m scared they’ll come to finish their job. I just… Being out here is better than being hurt.”

Blaine watched the boy in concern “Where is your cousin?”

“Safe,” he said, picking at the plastic bag “They didn’t want me around though. Having one of us with them is already asking for trouble. Both of us… The chances of being found out were too high for them.”

“I’m sorry,” Blaine murmured. What did you even say to that? Lucky was twelve at the most, probably younger and he already lost so many people… He was scared for his life and that’s why he was living on the streets.

Lucas sighed “It’s done,” he said before he hissed in pain as his side flared up.

“Are you hurt?” Blaine asked, making to move forward.

He froze when Lucas scrambled away from him “I’m fine,” the boy insisted “I – It’s nothing.” He tightened his grip on the bag before he held the rest of it out for Blaine to take back “I should go… Thank you for the food.”

Blaine shook his head “It’s yours. I hope it helps a little.”

Lucas looked up at him before he smiled a little “Thanks.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys. This is going to be part of my early Christmas present to you guys. I did my best to write for as many Fics as possible for Christmas but the rest didn't work yet. For the Fics that haven't been updated in this wave, I'll try to get an update out till March (I have exams in February, so I should be able to get stuff done until March).
> 
> For those interested, feel free to join my Facebook Group (NicholasFlamel's Corner) where I post snippets of chapters I write, ideas I have and finished/abandoned Fics. Link: https://www.facebook.com/groups/687956758591756


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